Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
惊(驚)jīng(jing1)
The character 惊 (jīng) primarily means 'to startle' or 'to frighten.' It is commonly used in contexts where someone is surprised or alarmed by an unexpected event. This word can also convey feelings of shock or astonishment, and it's often used to describe reactions to startling news or sudden occurrences.
Strokes11Radical忄Frequency#3257DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, surprising or startling events are often depicted in folklore and ghost stories, where the element of surprise plays a crucial role in the narrative. The notion of 'surprise' is linked to both entertainment and the experience of life, often celebrated during festivals.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person standing in a dark room, suddenly startled by a loud noise. The character 惊 looks like a person (心, heart) experiencing shock (惊) with wide-open eyes. The 'j' sound in jīng can remind you of a gasp of surprise.
Meanings of 惊
jīng(jing1)
1to start
2to be frightened
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 惊
惊Simplified
驚Traditional
11Strokes
忄Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#3257Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 惊
Podcast: 惊
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 惊
Quick Contrast
惊 (jīng) vs 震 (zhèn) — use 惊 for emotional surprise or fright, while 震 refers to physical shaking or tremors.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person standing in a dark room, suddenly startled by a loud noise. The character 惊 looks like a person (心, heart) experiencing shock (惊) with wide-open eyes. The 'j' sound in jīng can remind you of a gasp of surprise.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 惊 with similar-sounding words like 精 (jīng), which means 'essence.' This word is more informal, so while it can be used in everyday conversations, in formal contexts you might opt for synonyms like ‘震惊’ (zhènjīng, to shock). Watch out for the tone; using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.
HSK Study Tips
Though not currently in HSK vocabulary, 惊 connects with other words like 震 (zhèn, to shake) and 惊讶 (jīngyà, surprised), which are relevant for learners at HSK 4 and beyond. Focus on recognizing its usage in both spoken and written forms to enhance your comprehension.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, surprising or startling events are often depicted in folklore and ghost stories, where the element of surprise plays a crucial role in the narrative. The notion of 'surprise' is linked to both entertainment and the experience of life, often celebrated during festivals.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mix up 惊 with the word 想 (xiǎng, to think), resulting in sentences like '我想这个消息让我惊' (Wǒ xiǎng zhège xiāoxī ràng wǒ jīng), which is incorrect. The correct form would be '我被这个消息惊到了' (Wǒ bèi zhège xiāoxī jīng dào le).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 惊
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 惊 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 惊 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 惊
惊 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
I was shocked at the audacity and brazenness of the gangsters.
9
鄙人被一声大喊惊醒：“喂！”
bǐ rén bèi yī shēng dà hǎn jīng xǐng：“ ：“！”
Yours truly was awoken by a shout: "Ahoy there!"
10
一匹未经训练的马听到枪响受了惊。
yī pǐ wèi jīng xùn liàn de mǎ tīng dào qiāng xiǎng shòu le jīng。
An untrained horse had taken fright at the sound of gunfire.
Cultural Notes for 惊
💡Did you know?
The character 惊 is composed of the 'heart' radical, 心, implying that fear or surprise is a matter of the heart and emotions. This reflects how deeply rooted our reactions to startling events are in our emotional state.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, surprising or startling events are often depicted in folklore and ghost stories, where the element of surprise plays a crucial role in the narrative. The notion of 'surprise' is linked to both entertainment and the experience of life, often celebrated during festivals.
📜Proverb
有惊无险 (yǒu jīng wú xiǎn) means 'there is surprise but no danger.' This proverb emphasizes that while surprises can be startling, they don't always lead to actual danger.
Word Family of 惊
Words Containing This Character20
惊喜jīngxǐnice surprise驚喜
惊讶jīngyàamazed驚訝
惊jīngto startle驚
吃惊chījīngto be startled吃驚
震惊zhènjīngto shock震驚
惊人jīngrénastonishing驚人
惊奇jīngqíto be amazed驚奇
大吃一惊dàchīyìjīnggobsmacked大吃一驚
惊慌jīnghuāngto panic驚慌
惊叹jīngtàna gasp of surprise驚嘆
惊吓to frighten驚嚇
惊醒jīngxǐngto rouse驚醒
大惊小怪dàjīngxiǎoguàito make a fuss about nothing (idiom)大驚小怪
惊恐to be alarmed驚恐
惊险jīngxiǎnthrilling驚險
惊呼to cry out in alarm or surprise驚呼
惊动jīngdòngto alarm驚動
受宠若惊overwhelmed by favor from superior (humble expr.)受寵若驚
惊异amazed驚異
惊慌失措jīnghuāngshīcuòto lose one's head out of fear (idiom)驚慌失措
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 惊喜 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 惊
Some common phrases include 惊讶 (jīng yà), which means 'surprised' or 'astonished,' and 惊慌 (jīng huāng), meaning 'panic' or 'frightened.' These phrases highlight different nuances of how the character is used in various contexts.
In everyday conversation, 惊 can be used to express your feelings when something unexpected happens. For instance, you might say '真惊人!' (Zhēn jīng rén!), meaning 'That's really shocking!' This helps convey your emotional response to surprising events.
惊 (jīng) means to startle or to be frightened. It can refer to a sudden shock or alarm that causes a reaction of fear. This character is commonly used in contexts where someone is surprised or scared.
You can use 惊 in sentences to convey feelings of being startled or frightened. For example, you can say '我被这个声音惊到了' (Wǒ bèi zhège shēngyīn jīng dào le), which means 'I was startled by that sound.' It often appears in phrases related to surprise or fear.
You can say '我被这个消息惊到了' (Wǒ bèi zhège xiāoxī jīng dào le), meaning 'I was startled by this news.'
It's more commonly used in informal contexts; for formal writing, consider using terms like 震惊.
Yes, you can say things like '我之前惊过' (Wǒ zhīqián jīng guò), meaning 'I was startled before.'
